September 14th, 1994
Currently listening to: Nothing to Fear (but Fear Itself) - Oingo Boingo
Before I report on this month’s progress, I want to discuss the purpose of this project. No, I don’t believe nuclear war is inevitable. I’m not going out to street corners holding a sign saying “THE END IS NIGH”. My effort to plan and prepare this shelter is more of a hobby project than anything else. Of course, it will be invaluable in the (unlikely) case of an attack or some other sort of disaster, but I’ve been happy simply doing research and building the resources on this site for others to utilize or enjoy :) I hope that clears things up!
Now, onto my progress. This month, I built a lofted bunk with storage space below! This space will be for clothing, electronics, first aid supplies, and other miscellaneous items. I’m working on a list of tools and supplies recommended by various survival guides, so keep an eye out for that! I made sure to position the bed close to the air intake, and as far away from where I’ll eventually put the bathroom and waste storage (for reasons you can probably guess).
I stocked more non-perishables and I have a pretty good supply by now. I also got my hands on a yacht battery (don’t ask how) that should be a great power source for radio and lighting. I stowed this in the new storage area under the bunk, along with plenty of flashlights and a few small lamps. I also got a hand-crank generator and some packs of smaller batteries. Below are diagrams of the storage area and bunk configuration.
I didn’t feel like doing more construction work this month, so once I finished the bunk, I went and bought some used furniture, namely a desk and a chair to work or eat at. Obviously, decoration and recreation aren’t the highest priority in building a shelter, but they shouldn’t be disregarded completely. Psychological preparations is the topic of NWSS’s second chapter, and especially if fallout remains dangerous for periods longer than a few days, having distractions and entertainment is not something you’d want to be lacking.
I ended up moving one of my bookshelves down into the shelter, as I can always come down and retrieve a book, much more easily than I could if I was sheltering and they were upstairs. Plus, I think it looks very nice, and seeing so much furniture filling the space makes it feel like I’ve made a lot of progress :)